4 things to know about Outagamie County's proposed 2018 budget

APPLETON - Outagamie County residents will see a slight uptick in their 2018 county tax bill despite a 1 percent decline in the tax rate under a proposed budget that's heading toward an Oct. 24 public hearing.

Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson released the proposal earlier this month to members of the County Board. The budget is slated for approval on Nov. 6 following a public hearing on the proposal at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 in the County Board room in the Administrative Services Building, 410 S. Walnut St.

"This budget marks the continuation of a policy of fiscal responsibility," Nelson wrote in his budget message. "Despite significant investments into county facilities and technology upgrades aimed at improving service and efficiency to county residents, this budget features a declining tax rate and substantially less borrowing than anticipated."

Spending this year is down from last year by $9 million, largely because of the extensive borrowing last year for the county's security and space needs project to reconstruct downtown facilities.

Because of a significant increase in property values from 2016 to 2017, the average homeowner will see an increase of about $25 to their bill. That increase comes despite the actual tax rate going down.

Unlike in the last 10 years, when property values steadily increased 1 percent, property values on average jumped 4.5 percent. For example, the average home in Outagamie County that was worth $153,000 last year is worth $161,000 this year.

In short, at the tax rate from 2017's budget at last year's average property value, a homeowner would pay $750.59. In comparison, at the proposed tax rate and average property value for this year, a homeowner would pay $773.60.

The airport, which operates as a county enterprise fund independent of the property tax roll, would allocate $2.3 million of capital funds to acquire land next to the airport for future growth.

With the number of passengers flying out of the airport up 30 percent in the last five years, it's logical to plan for the future if properties become available, said Abe Weber, the airport director.

There also are plans in the works to use federal and state grant money to add an airport rescue and fire fighting facility (ARFF) to Fox Valley Technical College's public safety training center next door to the airport for a cost of $5 million in 2018.

In total, the entire facility will cost between $13 million and $15 million, largely funded by grant dollars, and will be completed by the end of 2019, Weber said.

It will be the only training facility of its kind in the Midwest, both Weber and Nelson said.

The impact of the facility, which FVTC will operate, on the entire Fox Cities community is noteworthy, Weber said. Every airport that hires aircraft firefighters requires them to do 40 hours of training to be certified, and then additional annual training.

The facility in the Fox Cities creates a lot of economic impact from more people visiting the area and spending their money here while completing their training.

"We expect to see a lot of airports coming to this region to train their firefighters," Weber said.

3. Heroin and opioid crisis impacts foster care, AODA funding

Mental health and drug and alcohol issues have long been a mainstay as the most costly part of the county's most costly department, Health and Human Services. That section of the HHS budget is slated to increase from $18.4 million last year to $18.6 million this year.

What came up again and again "organically in conversations" was the impact of the heroin and opioid crisis during budget discussions with department leaders, Nelson said. It has impacted costs to the court system, the sheriff's department, the health and human services department and more.

"The refrain we heard again and again that really reinforced what we all know, that this is a big issue, a big problem in our community," Nelson said.

For example, the cost of the foster care program is budgeted for another $327,941 in 2018 because of the number of children being placed, often tied to drug use by parents or guardians, Nelson said. That brings the total proposed cost of the county's foster care program to $1.63 million for 2018, up from $1.3 million last year.

Taxpayers will now be taking on funding for the mental health court and veterans court after federal grant money, about $438,750 worth, ran out for 2018.

Asked why he decided to keep the program in place and adding it to the tax rolls, Nelson said was it was the results of the program.

"It's a proven investment," Nelson said. "It has turned around lives, and when you look at all aspects of criminal justice, it has saved money."

Part of the funding also came from the $750,000 cash bond paid by the family and friends of Manishkumar M. Patel more than a decade ago. That funding supported a position in the Criminal Justice Treatment Services department to aid those programs.